Ziarat Shahdara Sharief is a holy place located at Shahdara in
Rajouri District of
Jammu and Kashmir. Shahdara, formerly Simha Dwara, is about 5 km from
Thannamandi and about 35 km north of
Rajouri.
It is associated with Hazrat Sayeed Ghulam Shah Baadshah, a great saint and religious preacher. He reached the village in the year 1765 and started meditation. The people renamed this place after the name of this great saint as Shahdara.
The shrine is enclosed by beautiful high mountain peeks, dense forests, green pastures, springs and strings. The langar in the Ziarat serves food to 3000 people every day and Kashmiri tea is served to pilgrims all the time. Nearly 4000 people can be accommodated in the Ziarat, while 800 people can be provided with beds.
There is a mosque, the Shahdara Shrief Jamia Masjid, attached to this shrine. Every year on 10th of Muharram, Urs of Hazrat Ghulam Shah Baadshah is celebrated. Large number of people from across various religions pays rich tribute to the saint. People offer atta, rice and other goods apart from cash.
